Method of producing puddled iron ingots



Aug. 25, 1931. A. H. BEALE METHOD OF PRODUCING PUDDLED IRON INGOTS Filed July 19, 1928 INVENTZR res PAT

OFFICE ADDISON H. BEALE, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO A. M. BYERS COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA- TION OF PEN N SYLVAN IA METHOD OF PRODUCING PUDDLED IRON INGO'I'S Application filed July 19,

My invention relates to the Aston process of making wrought iron, such, for example, as set-forth in several United States patents of James Aston, such as N 0. 1,370,507, granted March 8, 1920, for method of making wrought iron pipe; No. 1,412,823, granted April 18, 1922, for method of making wrought iron; and No. 1,469,373, granted Ocvspecial apparatus, usually a tober 2, 1923, for manufacture of Wrought iron.

In the practice of the Aston process, a much larger ball can be made than in the old hand paddling process, but prior to my invention the ball was still substantially spherical in shape and therefore must be compressed by a squeezer, the same as with a hand puddled ball. Great difficulty was found in handling such large balls in the squeezer, and they could not be worked properly in a press, to remove the ex cess slag from the mass of wrought iron prior to rolling. In the squeezer, if sufficient pressure was imparted to properly remove the excess slag, the ball was often broken into pieces and became waste.

I have overcome these objections by producing a puddle ball of capsule shape, like an ingot lying on its side. This is done by pouring the molten steel into a slag bath contained in an oblong receptacle, so that instead of forming a substantially round ball, I form an oblong or capsule shaped ball or ingot which can be easily and effectually compressed in a hydraulic press, to remove the exce s slag. The ingot of wrought iron thus formed may be somewhat the shape of the ordinary ingot formed insteel making, but lying on its side as it is formed in the shotting operation.

I have further discovered that the process and product are greatly improved if the steel pouring is distributed over the slag bath instead of pouring the steel in at one place, as was the form-er practice. The distributing is of especial advantage Where a capsule ingot is formed. Where the steel is poured in at one spot, a local hot zone of slag is created which interferes with-the proper granulation of the steel and the proper reactions of the steel with the slag. In such case the 1928. Serial No. 294,039.

metal does not contact with the slag under the correct conditions of temperature differential, time element, and conditions of impact, as are desirable in the Aston process. I have found that by moving the stream of hot metal back and forth, or around, over the bath, and preferably moving it back" and forth over the longer axis of the receptacle, I can produce a longitudinal ingot of puddle iron in the bottom of the receptacle which shows substantially uniform granular structure throughout. In fact, with the use of my improved process, better and more uniform puddle balls have been made than was possible by the hand puddling process. I

In the rawings,-

Figure 1 is a plan view of one form of receptacle which may be employed for carrying out my invention; and

Figures 2 and 3 are vertical cross-sections on the lines IIII and IIIIII of Figure 1.

In the drawings, 2 represents an iron or steel receptacle, preferably formed with trunnion lugs 3, 3 in its end portions. This casting is preferably provided with an upper inwardly projecting lip or flange 4, and is preferably lined with a refractory material, such as firebrick, shown at 5.

In the form shown, the sides diverge upwardly, two of the sides diverging more sharply than the other two sides. The hottom dimensions of the lined vessel shown are I In carrying out my process, the molten slag is fed into this receptacle setting on a pouring stand, to a depth of about 3 and the steel is poured in from a height of at least 6 feet and preferably 10 to 12 feet. During the pouring operation, the pouring ladle is preferably moved or swung back and forth along the longer axis of the receptacle so as to distribute the pour along the length of the wrought iron ingot being built up at the bottom of the bath. The metal is preferably poured inat the rate of not over 1 tons per minute, and the slag bath is preferably more than four times the total Volume of the steel poured in. Y

The vessel is 4 to to 4 feet, I

After the shotting operation, the excess slag is poured off, preferably into another idly pressed to squeeze out the desired amount The ingot is preferably comof excess slag.

of its cross dimensions and pressed in two may be turned over in the press for this purpose, if desired. From the press the bloom is taken to the rolling mill.

The advantages of 'my invention result from the forming of the original ball into an ingot-like shape, thus reducing the amount of press work necessary to bring the ball into the proper shape for rolling and at the same time retaininga larger proportion of slag than would be retained in an ordinary squeezer. This retention of slag is desirable in that a larger proportion of slag is squeezed out during the directional rolling of the ingot or bloom, thus giving better ferrous characteristics. They also result from the distributing of the pour since more uniform distribution is afforded, local overheating of the bath is avoided, and greater uniformity of the ball is attained.

By moving the stream or moving the receptacle relative to the stream a proper distribution is afforded; the correct conditions of temperature, granular distribution, reaction with the bath, etc., are obtained. By the forming of a long ingot lying on the side I avoid the use of squeezers and am enabled to use a hydraulic press which avoids breaking the ball and gives quick and efficient action.

The type of slag-containing vessel may be changed, the shape of the ball may be varied, and other changes may be made, without departing from my invention.

I claim:

1. In the manufacture of wrought iron, the step consisting of pouring the molten roduct of a steel-making process into a slag bath in an oblong receptacle, forming an oblon ingot in the bottom of the bath while distributing the pour over different points of the bath, and then compressing the oblong ingot thus formed.

2. In the manufacture of wrought iron, the steps consisting of pouring the molten product of a steel-making process into a molten bath of puddle slag in an oblong shaped receptacle, causing relative movement between the slag bath and the metal to distribute the pour, and forming an oblong mass of wrought iron in the bottom of the bath.

3. In the manufacture of Wrought iron, the steps consisting of pouring the molten product of a steel-making process into a molten bath of puddle slag in an oblong shaped receptacle, causing relative movement between the slag bath and the metal to distribute the pour, forming an oblong mass of wrought iron in the bottom of the bath, removing the surplus slag, dumping out the oblong ball, and compresslng the same.

4. In the manufactureof wrought iron, the steps consisting of pouring the molten product of a steel-making process into a molten bath of slag, forming a welded wrought iron ball therein, and shifting the place of entry of the molten metal into the ath by causing relative movement between the slag bath and the ferrous metal stream during the pouring operation to assist in maintaining a proper temperature difference between the entering metal stream and the portions of the slag bath entered thereby and cause proper granulation of the metal in the successive parts of the bath which the stream enters.

5. In the manufacture of wrought iron, the steps consisting of pouring the molten product of a steel-making process into a molten bath of slag, forming a welded Wrought iron ball therein, and shifting the place of entry of the molten metal into the bath bycausing back and forth relative movement between the slag bath and the ferrous metal stream during the pouring operation to assist in maintaining a proper temperature difference between the entering metal stream and the portions of the slag bath entered thereby and cause proper ganulation of the metal in the successive parts of the bath which the stream enters.

G. In the manufacture of wrought iron, the steps consisting of pouring the molten product of a steel-making process into a molten bath of slag, forming a welded wrought iron ball therein, and shifting the place of entry of the molten metal into the bath by relatively moving the ferrous metal stream around over the bath during the pouring operation to assist in maintaining a proper temperature difference between the entering metal stream and the portions of the slag bath entered thereby and cause proper granulation of the metal in the successive parts of the bath which the stream enters.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ADDISON H. BEALE. 

